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Monday, September 7, 2015

Mostly Manor

Yes.

I've been sharing so much about my Gradparents, Elda and Leo, this past year, sharing joyful memories that lured me to make the large number of double wedding ring quilts (over 50, now) that have been traveling around.

That is the basis of all my creative work. Finding joy everyday, in nostalgia through Grandmas creative eyes and my own. Parts of my home reflect colors, patterns and sometimes, (more than sometimes) objects that were in my grandparents home.

The Wolfe family home, as many of our homes are, span a range of decor dates. MOSTLY, 1940's through 1970's, eras that I just love. Dresses from the 40's line my closet, with vases, furniture, and cosy polyester quilts dot the rooms of my home.

When I make a quilt, I look at my stash, and I see that I am not picky in what I put together. Modern geometrics, flirty vintage prints, retro bold flowers, reproductions, stripes, brights, solids and maybe even a few batiks, line my shelves, and for me, no fabric is off limits.

I pull fabrics for quilts by thinking, what would my grandmother do?

What colors will I find in her double knit quilts?

What prints make me think of her housecoats, she wore everyday?

What fabrics remind me of fun times in the southern Minnesota river town?

I find I even select backing fabrics that feel like flowery wallpaper that was on the walls (and even the linoleum floors) of their home.

I also notice my stash is probably 25 years old! (How old is yours?)

I have many fabrics I've collected over the years, and all of it.... goes into my quilts.

Their home, Their MANOR, with my happy memories is what keeps me inspired each day.

And where I MOSTLY get my inspiration...

Flowers from their garden, striped seersucker dresses, feedsacks, retro furniture fabrics, geometric artworks... All of these styles from the Wolfe family home, you will find in my quilts.

Congratulations! So colorful! And oh dear... your collection might bring back memories for me, was a teenager in the 70's and was really into it then, the clothes (see so many things I wore in the stores right now!) , my room....... looking forward to it!